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M dam; fliilyaejecting head 23, plunger 25 Patented Nov. 5, 1929 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE F. MORRISON, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK, ASSIG-NOR T0 If-1E INTERNATIONAL PAVEMENT COMPANY, 0F HARTFORD, CONNEQTICUT, A CORPORATION GE CSNNECT- IGUT Application filed November 30, 1926.

This invention pertains to improvements in presses adapted for pressing materials mto blocks, bricks, tiles or the like at high speed and under relatively high pressure, usually known as block presses.

It is among the objects of the invention to increase the speed and smoothness of operation of such high-speed, high-power block presses while decreasing the relative upkeep expense thereof.

1 have elected to illustrate and describe my improvements in connection with a press of the general type shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,003,561, issued September 19, 1911, to International Pavement Company as assignee of George E. YVhitney.

In the drawings, which show one illustrati've embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of a press and press-driving instrumentalities;

Fig. 2.is a plan of the press-driving instrumentahties and oi the cam shatt of the press shown lnF 1g. 1'

a I Fig. 3 1s a side elevat1on showing on a larger scale the press part actuating and controlling instrumentalities secured to the cam shaft and certain cooperating parts hereinafter more fully explained.

Fig. t graphically represents the variations in speed of the engine or cam shaft, the variations in its torque, and the time of operation of various parts of the machine during one revolution of said shait, in one example of a machine constructed according to the invention.

Referring tothe drawings and to the pre ferred embodiment of my invention selected for illustrative purposes, I have shown (Fig. 1) a press'includin a hydraulic cylinder 1,

adapted to cooperate with other pressure applying instrumentalities all substantially like those shown in said Patent No. 1,003,561.

I have also shown pressure resisting columns 4, bulkheads 6, feeding neck 16, hopper 17, feed control 141, sliding head operating cylinder 12 1, having valve control 131. sliding head lever 116 and connecting rod 120, cooperating with a sliding head (not shown), and constituting portions of molding instru- PRESS Serial No. 151,686.

mentalities for covering and uncovering, filling and emptying a mold or molds all generally like the molding instrumentalities shown in said patent.

The major improvements which I have made over the disclosure of said Whitney patent lie in a novel actuation of the cam or timing shaft 66 (Fig. 2) carrying the sliding head actuating cam 108, the ejecting cam 136 and the high and low pressure valve cams H and L respectively, together with a reorganization of the relations between the movement producing or permitting surfaces of these cams.

It will be noted that in the description of the machine, I have thus far used numerals identical with those used for more or less closely corresponding parts in said lVhitney patent, to the end that the entire mechanism of my novel press may be understood in every detail by reference to said patent inconnection with this specification and drawings, without unnecessarily complicating the present descriptive matter.

In the press constructed in accordance with the disclosure of the lVhitney patent, the cam shaft 66 is rotated by a prime mover turning at high speed, and driving a high speed worm shaft carrying a worm meshing with a worm gear on the cam shaft. The tendency of this mechanism is to supply to the camshaft a substantially constant potential torque without reference to the desideratum of power required at any given portion of the revolution of the camshaft, a substantial flywheel effect being supplied by the wormshaft and driving mechanism therefor. The power required of the cam shaft to move the sliding head, on the contrary, varies from a very substantial amount necessary to move the sliding head by action of the cam surfaces 201 and 202 and the negligible amount, or even minus quantity, necessary when the sliding head lever roller 203 is passing down the cam surface 204 under the impulse of the steam or other pressure in the cylinder 121. Also considerable more torque is necessary while the ejector cam roller 205 is raising the ejecting head, plunger and associated mechanism to eject Comprising a roller 205 (Fig. 3) actuating the ejecting head lifting mechanism, so that when theroller 205 is depressedby the cam 136 the ejecting head will be raised, and when the cam permits the roller 205 to move up wardly the ejecting head will be permitted to drop. lVith the press operating as indicated by Fig. 4, the lifting of the ejecting head to eject the block is initiated during the descent of the ejecting head with the ram, the descent of the ram caused by relieving the pressure exerted thereon by the fluid in the hydraulic cylinder 1, after the block is compressed. As the descent of the rain is in a sense controlled by non-positive means (hydraulic pressure, and other factors hereinafter mentioned) it will be understood that in different cycles of operation of the press the ejecting head may be at different heights when its upward block ejecting movement is to be initiated, and in consequence the portion of the surface of the foam 136 which first moves into contact with or picks up the roller 205 to initiate lift ing of the ejecting head may vary for different cycles of operation of the press.

The operation of the ejecting cam 136, whereby the rise 206 presses down the eject- 0 ing roller 205 to lift the ejecting head and mold plunger (ejecting the compressed block from the mold) takes place after the crank has passed its position of maximum torque and is completed as the crank approaches dead centre.

It is desirable that the ejecting operation be effected as the crank approaches near to dead centre and at a time when the rotation of the cam crankshaft has been decelerated by the work of moving the sliding head into ejecting or mold-emptying position, so that the ejection may be relatively slowly effected and accompanied by deceleration in the rate of rotation of the crankshaft as the ejecting operation approaches completion. The operation of the ejecting mechanism with the camshaft rotating at a decelerated rate is particularly desirable because the point on the ejecting cam where the roller will effect the pick-up of the ejecting head, plunger and connected parts will, as hereinbefore explained, vary considerably during the normal operation of the press in accordance with variances in the amount of relief (drop of the plunger and ejecting head pursuant to completion of the pressing operation) arising primarily from slight differences in thickness of the blocks pressed, the amount of relief being a factor which it is practically impossible to control with any comparative degree of accuracy as compared with the other important movements in the press cycle. In the ejecting cam shown in Fig. 3, the probable range of pick-up by the ejecting cam is indicated by the bracket 250', the usual point of pick-up being at the centre thereof. lVithin this bracket 250, I have therefore provided the most desirable pickup velocity curves, the best curves beingadjacent the. centre thereof. It is, however, entirely possible that the pick-up may occur on any portion of the cam surface included within the bracket 251.

The variance in proportional rate of rotation of the camshaft during different portions of the cycle thereof increases rapidly as the speed of the press is decreased. I have taken advantage of this fact to provide very favorable pick-up curves on those portions of the cam surface within the bracket 250 and relatively undersirable pick-up curves at those portions of the cam within the brackets 206 and 252, thus providing a sufficiently favorable pick-up to admit of high speed of operation of the press under normal high speed operation, while obviating the likelihood of destructive shock when the pick-up takes place outside of its normal range because the press is turning over at low speeds or for other reasons. Those portions of the pick-up within the bracket 252 come into operation when the pressing instrumentalities are for any reason out of operation, or if, because of improper regulation of the drop of the plunger pursuant to an extreme in crease in temperature of a batch of material fed to the press as compared with the temperature of a preceding batch, or for any other reason, a block is made of substantially great: er thickness than that for which the ejecting cam is normally intended. Variations in relief occur in accordance with the speed of the press, the relief being greater when the press is operating slowly than when operating rap idly, because greater time is then provided for the relief providing retraction of the fluid-actuated pressure-creating instrumentalities. Thus, when the press is operating unusually slowly, because of abnormally slow supply of material thereto, or for other rea sons, the pick-up may occur at cam portions within the bracket 252 or in the adjacent cam portions in the bracket 250. An insufficiency of liquid in the hydraulic cylinder or unusually low steam pressure on the pressing instrumentalities may also cause variations in the relief. In the press shown in the Whitney patent, the ejecting cam was designed to give an average velocity pick-up throughout the entire range of possible pick-up. In accordance with my invention, I have provided for substantially zero pick-up velocity at the point of probable pick-up, viz, the centre of the cam portion included within the bracket 2-50, and have provided such gradual acceleration at each side of this point that the ve locity pick-up within the bracket 250 is everywhere fairly low. the velocity pick-up increasing as the probable frequency of pickup decreases. In the brackets 206 and 252, I have provided for pick-up at greater velocities, but have kept them within the range of practical operation even at maximum speed of the press, the decelerated rate of rotation of the camshaft during ejection being a de-. cidedly helpful factor and permitting operation of the press at higher speeds than would otherwise be safe under the circumstances described.

The cams shown are adapted for making locks of thicknesses from any desired minimum up to three inch, or even greater, thickness without change other than the change of ejecting cams. The ejecting cam illustrated is adapted for two inch blocks. For blocks of greater thickness, the cam portions 250, 206 and 252 should all be of somewhat less radius, the point of probable pickup, however, being that of substantially zero acceleration, the acceleration curves each side thereof becoming less and less desirable as pick up points in proportionately increasing degree as they are more and more remote from the point of probable pickup.

The fast flexible coupling 221 is used not primarily as a universal joint, but to admit of fine adjustment of the relative position between the crank and the cams. This may of advantage if for any reason it is desired to operate the press for a considerable period at slow speeds, slight movement of the crank in contraclockwi'se direction giving an increased torque during the latter'part of the sliding head moving operation of the camshaft and preventing possible stalling of the press by reason of the inability of the engine to move the sliding head by the latter part of the operation of the cam surface 201., viz, that portion which is toward the cam surface 213.

If it were desired to make four inch blocks on the press, I should probably avail of this adjustment to move the crank slightly in clockwise direction relative to the earns, as viewed in Fig. 3, prin'iari'ly forthe purpose of slowing down the rate of rotation during operation of the ejecting cam. Elf, by reason of further refinements in the press, it were desired to speed it 1 p to fifty cycles of operation per minute, I should probably adjust the crank slightly in clockwise direction relative to the cam, further to unbalance the engine and its points of greatest loadto provide greater deceleration of the rate of rotation of the cam shaft during movement of the sliding head thereby and during the operation of the ejecting cam.

The cams H and L operate while the sliding head is in pressing position to admit and exhaust steam from the elastic pressure fluid actuator for the hydraulic pressure applying instrumentalities, requiring but little torque to move the valves and overcome the opposed springs and pistons which keep their rollers H and L against their respective cams. Thus the pressing operation requires substantially no powerfrom the camshaft turning instrumentalities and is not only independent theredfiaside from control, thereby reducing the torque which it is necessary to apply to the'shaft and the likelihood of resultant trouble, but. admits of the varied rates ofrotation and varied torque which I have found so very advantageous in the operation "of the press "herein disclosed. Vhere the presses shown in the \Vhitney patent could operate at a rate of twenty-one to twenty-three cycles of operation per minute, I have found that with my 'impro'vements herein described the press can operate continuously at upwards of forty-two cycles of operation per minute. To'provide for carrying the rotating parts past the dead centres of the engine and generally to steady the operation of the press, I have supplied a flywheel 220 which is relatively light and cannot at forty-two revolution-sper minute accumulate sufiicient momentum to prevent the desirable increases and decreases in speed of rotation of the camshaft. This arrange nient substantially reduces the flywheeleffeet from that provided by the Worm gear, worm and par-ts rotatingwith the worm shaft of the press shown in the Whitney press. I prefer, as illustrated, to connect this flywheel 220 to the camshaft and not directly to the engine icra-nikshaft, thereby protecting the relatively light engine andjthe fast flexible coupling 221 (hereinafter more fully described) from the inertiaiof the flywheel in case of sudden stalling of the press. The flywheel is preferably'al-so at the opposite end of the camshaft from the'engin'e, thereby dividing on the camsha'ft'the torque from the engine and the torque from the inertia of the fiywl'i-eel.

The positioning of the flywheel also renders convenient the application of a spanner thereto, engaging the holes 222, if and when it is necessary toturn the camshaft by hand to get the press parts in pr oer position for starting, this being preferably the ejecting position wherein the cams occupy the position relative to their rollers :as shown Fig. 3.

Thetcam-s used with. my improvedxpness prefer-ably differ from those used on the press when using the drive shown inthe Whitney patent, in that the various-portions thereof are moved or changed relative to 50118 another to provide improved operationnrade possible by the varied rate of rotation, and in that, while the same sequence of operations is maintained, these operations are some instances overlapped, the initiationof one operation sometimes preceding the completion of the preceding operation. Thus, I

have shown in dotted lines-(as distinguished from dashed lines) in'Fig. 3 the foam relative position of the cams as previously used on the Whitney press. comparison of the two sets of cams, it will be observed g-so that I have been able to cut down the number of degrees of the cam circle occupied by the pressing position curve 214;, without correspondingly reducing the proportions of the cycle in which the sliding head is in pressing position, this because the relatively slow rate of rotation of the camshaft as the sliding head first reaches pressing position and the relatively slow acceleration as the crank passes dead centre provide additional pressing time. The proportion of the number of degrees of the cam circle utilized by the head moving cam portions 201 and 202 have been correspondingly increased and the curves and pitches thereof correspondingly modulated, without increasing the relative proportion of the cycle of operation available for these movements, because of the time saved by the accelerated rate of speed at which the camshaft is turning when these cam portions first act on the roller 203. At the same time, the deceleration toward the end of these cam portions arising from slowing of the rate of rotation of the camshaft is availed of, as previously herein stated, to prevent the roller 203 from leaving the cam under the influence of inertia when the movementsthereof by the rises in the cams are substantially completed.

In speeding up the press, I have found it possible to save portions ofthe cycle of rotation of the camshaft in some places, thus providing additional portions of the cycle in other places, this not only on account of the varying rate of rotation and torque as heretofore explained, but on account of the lag, of the operating parts. Thus, I have shown a set of cams wherein the ejecting cam starts to pick up its load (the ejecting head) before the sliding head is completely in ejecting position, leaving themold uncovered. I can do this because I can construct the ejecting head to take up the greater portion of the relief (provided by the pressing instrumentalities) before the block will be pressed above the surface of the mold block. I also save considerable time by so constructing the portion 213 of my sliding head cam that the sliding head moves away from the mold during a substantial portion of the ejection of the block therefrom. While this increases the extent of movement of the sliding head beyond that provided in the press shown in the Whitney I patent, it provides a substantial extra amount mold-filling position prior to completion of the mold-emptying operation, so that the curve for gradual acceleration of the sliding head during this movement may be of desirable form and so that the time normally used for acceleration at this point may be saved for other portions of the cycle or applied to speeding up the press as a whole. Similarly the rise of the cam portion 202 begins somewhat earlier in the cycle than in the previous press, the ejecting cam 215 releasing the ejecting head and mold plunger so that the drop thereof may start immediately before the sliding head reaches mold-filling position, the column of material in the moldlilling neck probably starting to drop momentarily later when the neck is in full register with the mold.

Similarly, the low pressure cam L opens its valve before the sliding head actually reaches pressing position and the movement of the sliding head from pressing to mold emptying position is started before. the low and/or high pressure displacing plungers have returned to their non pressure applying positions of rest, only verylimited retraction of the mold plunger being sufficient to supply the relief necessary before the movement of the sliding head may be started.

It will be understood that the crank connection between the cam shaft 66and engine, and in fact the mechanical system presentedby the engine-piston, connecting rod, crank and cam shaft, is mechanically reversible in the sense that the piston may be moved by applying torque to the cam shaft and the cam shaft be moved by moving the piston. This construction results in an increased sensitivity of the engine to resistance to movement of the press parts, and affords a convenient means for coordinating the forces impressed upon the press parts to the resistances offered by those parts.

The double acting engine shown is of stand ard construction, except that it has no flywheel, its valves have no lead and it turns very slowly when the press is running at the present standard rate of 42 It. P; M. A governor 223 of standard construction, operated by the usual belt 224, maintains the desired average engine speed, the variations in such speed as heretofore described being evidenced by remarkable activity of the centrifugal speed actuated governor balls and cooperatmg springs.

Fig. l graphically illustrates in connection with the present example of the inven tion the coordination between speed, torque impressed upon the cam shaft, and themovements of the sliding head or mold cover, the ejecting head and ram during one cycle of operations. In this figure the upper curve shows the relative torque exerted on the cam shaft while the lower curve illustrates the variations in speed of this shaft. The pe- Mods ofvarious motions and rests of the sliding head, ejecting head and rams are indicated by the dimension lines and captions at the bottom of the figure. The abscissac of both curves are degrees of revolution of the cam shaft or main camlOS. The ordinates of the lower curve are revolutions per minute.- The ordinates ofthe upper curve are relative torque,- the highest peak of the curve representingthe maximum torque, the lowressions Zero torque, and portions of y te height uniform percentages'of ezlm m o q The operation of the particular example of the invention l ereinbefore described briefly is as follows Then the operation of the machine to be. initiated the engine, as hereinafter explained, preferably will be on that dead centreposition which places the rail-c 39 en. t first par f the op 0 of the; cam Referring to Fig. 4, it will be bserv d that un er t se conditions the sliding hea d herein constituting the moldtev r n Posit on. t be move o m l ns P siti n-1 T st a supply t the ng may now be. established, but, the engine being a l leadc atre, 1. movement the c m takes place until the steam supply to the steam cylinder 12 i is established Upon establishiiel t at t s latt r supply", t st m yl moves the sliding head totheleft as viewed in Fig. l and causes the roller 203 to push on the cam 108, to. cause the engine to rotate from dead centre position permitting the steam acting on the engine piston to move it.

From the foregoing it will be noticed that with the present embodiment of the invention it theeng ine is on dead centre and the operat r fa ls o. esta ish th am S pp y o the steam cylimler 124%, no movement of the press will take place. In the press constructed according to. the Whitney patent, applying power to the cam shaft will cause it to rotate, but, if steam is not supplied to the steam cylinder 124, the roller will not follow the cam along the cam drop 204i, and if then the steam supply to the steam cylinder should be established, theroller 2 03 will be, Violently projected against the cam with resulting damage to the machine. Gon-veniently the steam engine ofthe present embodiment of the invention is desi ned to stop in dead centre position when the steam suiply thereto is interrupted and for reasons of safety will,

- for initiating operation, be cranked if necesi when the steam cylinder is actuated, although the force exerted by the engine is at. that time relatively low. Thus the cam rapidly moves through its portion of revolution corresponding to the sliding head being at, rest in the filling position, in which position the roller 203 is on the concentric portion of the cam between the cam drop 2,04 and cam rise 202 (Fig. 3). a

The maximum torque exerted by the steam engine on its crank end stroke occurs as shown by Figs. 3 and 4 during the movement of the roller 203 up the cam rise 202 for, moving the sliding head from filling to press ing position, the torque having decreased to a relatively low value, and likewise also the engine speed, as the sliding head comes to. rest in pressing position. The engine torque is low while the sliding head is at rest in filling position, but again rises to reach a, maximum during movement of the sliding head from pressing to block-ejectingv position, the speed of the cam shaft decreasing to a minimum as the sliding head comes to rest in the last named position. When the sliding head is at rest in block-ejecting 'p.osi-. tion, the ejecting head is moved by the cam mechanism to eject the block and at this time the engine speed is at its minimum and the torque rapidly falls to a minimum as the ejecting head comes to rest in its upper position. i v

In the particular embodiment of the in vention herein disclosed it will be observed from Fig. 4 that the force impressed upon the cam shaft is relatively large: when said shaft initiates movements of the heavy press parts, this high force condition continuing during the first or accelerating. movements of said parts and decreasing during their final or decelerating movements, while it is a minimum during theportions of less movement of the parts and during their periods of rest. It will also be observed that in this embodiment of the invention the engine through its crank impresses upon the cam shaft a force of predetermined maximum limit regardless of the resistance opposed to said force, and further that the torque ap-. plied to. the cam shaftvaries from zero to a maximum and back to zero again through a half revolution of the crank. i

The release of potential energy of theengine to the machine is limited and controlled by the crank in the same way as the force is limited and controlled. Thusthe submitted embodiment of the invention. includes a sub stantially low inertia or non-kinetic source of energy the release of which is coordinated and synchronized with the resistance offered by the heavy parts to be moved in such manner that unbalanced forces are a minimum. l/Vhile the invention contemplates varying only the torque (force) appliedto the-cam shaft to secure a variation of energy during the cycle. of operations for convenience *in the submitted'embodi'ment of the invention the energy is varied by varying both the speed of the cam shaft and the torque.

As heretofore has been explained, the pres ent embodiment of the invention employs an undersized flywheel, thus avoiding use of a power supply having a large amount of stored kinetic energy as in the ordinary reciprocating steam engine. Thus upon the occurrence of defective coordination of the movements of the machine parts or entry of a foreign body in each case tending to stop the operation ofthe machine, there is not available a supply of stored kinetic energy capable of being released to exert destructive forces upon the machine.

' In the foregoing description, I have describedwhat is shown by the drawings and what I have actually built and operated commercial-ly. It is obvious that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of my invention. Thus hydraulic pressing instrumentalities are merely a preferred form, the sliding head, cooperating stationary mold and connected actuating mechanism constituting merely a preferred construction for producing relative movement between mold and mold cover, the principles being identical if the mold moves instead of the mold cover, or, with respect to certain features of my invention, if both move. Various other changes may obviously be made without departing from the scope of my invention, which is best defined in the following claims.

Claims:

1. In a high speed press having a mold and a mold cover, actuating means for effecting relative movement between said mold and mold cover comprising rotatable cam shaft and cam shaft rotating instrumentalities connected to said shaft and adapted normally to vary the rate of rotation thereof during different portions of the cycle of operationof said cam shaft.

2. In a high speed press having am-old and a mold cover, actuating means for effecting relative movementbetween said mold and moldcovercomprising arotatable cam shaft and cam shaft rotating instrumentalities con nected to said shaft and adapted normally to vary the rate of rotation thereof during different portions of the cycle of operation of said. cam shaft, said actu. means comprising a pressure fluid engine. 1

8. In a high speed press havin a. mold and a mold cover, actuating means for effecting relative movement between said mold and mold cover comprising a rotatable 'cam shaft and cam shaft rotating instrumentalities connected to said shaft and adapted normally to vary the rate of rotation thereof during different portions of the cycle of operation of said cam shaft, said actuating means comprisiiig pressureffluid engine having its crank shaft directly connected to said cam shaft.

4. In a high speed press having a mold and a mold cover, actuating means for effe iting relative movement between said mold and mold cover com rising a rotatable can shaft and cam shaft rotating instrumentalities connected to said shaft and adapted normally to vary the rate of rotation thereof during different portions of the cycle of operation of said cam shaft, said actuating means comprising a pressure fluid engine having its crank shaft directly connected to said cam shaft at one end thereof and havin a flywheel connected to said cam shaft at the other end thereof.

5. A high speed. press having a relatively heavy part to be moved into various positions with intervening periods of rest, a cam shaft, a cam on said cam shaft for moving said relatively heavy part in one direction, a pressure fluid cylinder for moving said relatively heavy part in the opposite direction and a prrssure fluid actuator for rotating said cam shaft under a greater potential torque when said cam is moving said relatively heavy part than when said pressure fluid cylinder is moving said part in the opposite direction.

6. A press having a sliding head, a cam shaft, a cam on said cam shaft for moving said sliding head in one direction, cooperating means for moving said sliding head in the opposite direction, and a pressure fluid engine having a crank operatively connected to said cam shaft, the angular relation between said cranl: and cam being such that said crank is in position to exert its most favorable leverage on said shaft when said cam is'moving said head.

7. A pre s comprising, in combination, pressing instrumentalities, molding instrumentali ies timed relative to said pressing instrumentalities but actuated independently thereof and automatic lly repeating actuating means for said in instruinentalities adapted to vary in speed during different portions of each cycle of operation of the press.

i 8. A press comprising, in combination, pressing instrumentalities, molding instruinentalities timed relative to said pressing instrumentalities but ac. 1 ed independently thereof and automatically re 3 .ing actuatin gmeans for said molding ins nentalities adapted to deliver different potential torques during different portions of a single cycle of operation of the press.

9. A press comprising, in combination, a mold and mold cover and actuating instrumentalities for relatively moving said mold and mold cover into three relative positions, for filling said mold, pressing the contents thereof and emptying said mold, respective ly, said actuating means including a cam having a portion thereof shaped to effect relative movement of said mold and mold cover during the emptying of said mold and to cause deceleration of the moving part-to be completed while the mold is being emptied.

10. A. press comprising, in combination, a mold and mold cover and actuating instrunientalities for relatively moving said mold and mold cover into three relative positions, for filling said mold, pressing the contents thereof and emptying said mold, respectively, said actuating means including a cam having a portion thereof shaped to effect relative movement of said mold and mold cover during the emptying of said mold and to cause accelerating of the moving part to be initiated while the mold is beingemptied.

11. A press comprising, in combination, a mold and mold cover and actuating instrumentalities for relatively moving said mold and mold cover into three relative positions,

for filling said mold, pressing the contents thereof and emptying said mold, respectively, said actuating means including a cam having portions thereof shaped to ellect relative movement of said mold and mold cover during the emptying of said mold and to cause acceleration and deceleration, respectively, of the moving part to be initiated and completed, respectively, while the mold is being emptied.

12. A press comprising compressing instrumentalities, mold-covering instrumentalities and mold-emptying instrumentalities, automatically repeating actuating and timing means for moving said instrumentalities in desired sequence, said actuating and timing means providing for the initiation of at least one movement of the sequence prior to com pletion of the preceding movement thereof.

13. A press comprising molding instrumentalities, mold-emptying instrumentalities and automatically repeating actuating and timing means for moving said molding instrumentalities from closedmold to open mold position and for emptying the mold 7 molding instrumentalities, mold emptying instrumentalities and automatically repeating actuating and timing means for emptying the mold and for moving said molding instrumentalities from open mold to closed mold position, said actuating and timing means providing for initiation of movement from open'moldto closed mold position prior to completion of the mold-emptying operation, such initiation of movement being utilized to accelerate the moving part even before completion of the mold-emptying instrumentalities to eject'the contents of the mold.

15. A press comprising, in combination,- comprising instrumentalities, molding jinstrumentalities including a mold, a mold cover and a mold-filling neck, actuating and timing means providing forrelative movement 'between said mold and compressing instrumem talities onthe one hand and said mold and mold cover'on the other hand, such movement providing mold-filling, compressing and mold-emptying positions, said'actuating and timing means also providing for'initi'ation of the cycle of operation of the compressing in strumentalities prior to completionof the movement from mold-fillingto compressing position,

16. 'A press comprising, in combination, compressing instruinentalities, molding instrumentalities including a mold, a mold cover and a'mold-filling neck, actuating and timing means providing for relative movement between said mold and compressing instrumentalities 011 the one hand and said' mold and mold cover on the other hand, such movement providing mold-filling, compressing and mold-emptying positions, said actuating and timing means also providing for completion of the cycle of operationof the compressing instrumentalities after the movement from compressing to mold-emptying position.

17. A press having rotating means presenting a plurality of actuating means for press parts, an actuator for said rotating means adapted to rotate the rotating means at varying speeds during a single cycle of rotation thereof, said actuating means including a cam on said rotating means, said cam present ing operative portions spaced to compensate in desired degree for variations in the rate of rotative movement of said shaft during its cycle of rotation.

18. A press comprising, in combination, a relatively heavy part adapted to be shifted into three positions, a cam for actuating movement of said part into two of said three positions and pressure fluid means, having connections with said cam including a crank presenting a favorable leverage for rotating said cam during said movement. 19. A press comprising, in combination, a relatively heavy part adapted to be shifted into three positions, a cam for actuating movement of said part into two of said three positions, pressure fluid means having connections with said cam including a crank presenting a favorable leverage for rotating said cam during said movement and means permitting adjustment of said crank relative to said cam to increase or decrease the unbalance between the pressure fluid means and its load.

20. A press having a rotating shaft for timing the'operation of the press instrumentaliti i nenml y cen taatly.oreretinap essui fluid engine operatively connected to one end of said shaft, a flywheel operatively connected to the other end of said shaft, said flywheel so proportioned with respect to its speed of rotation as to admit of substantial speeding up and slowing down of the rate of rotation of said shaft and engine during each cycle of rotation thereof.

21. A press including a mold, a mold plunger, mold emptying instrumentalities in cluding a cam for moving said plunger into mold-emptying position and a normally continuously operating pressure fluid engine con nected to operate said cam by connections including crank means which is substantially off its dead centre when said cam moves said plunger into mold-emptying position.

22. A press comprising a normally continuously operating actuator positively connected to operate the press parts and deliver ing substantially varying potential power to operate said parts during each individual cycle of operation of said press.

23. A press having a timing shaft for causing one cycle of operation of the press parts for each rotation thereof, and a prime mover delivering variable forces during each cycle of its operation for driving said shaft, said prime mover completing one cycle of its operation for each rotation of said shaft.

24. A press having a timing shaft for causing one cycle of operation of the press parts for each rotation thereof, and a double acting steam engine having its crank directly connected to said shaft.

25. A block press comprising, in combination, a mold, a mold cover and mold-emptying means, a cam organized and operating a part to uncover said mold to permit ejection of a completed block by operation of said moldemptying means, said cam continuing to move said part in moldamcovering direction after said mold is completely uncovered and during a'portion of the ejection of the contents of the mold, such continued movement providing for cam-controlled deceleration of said part.

26. A press comprising, in combination, a mold and mold cover, a mold plunger reciprocable in said mold, a mold-filling neck, means for so moving said parts as successively to open the mold for mold-emptying ejection of the finished block, for bringing said mold and neck into register for filling of said mold from material contained in said neck, and for covering said mold during compression of the contents thereof, means for elevating said plunger when the mold is open for ejection and for dropping said plunger to or toward its mold filling position during movement of said parts from mold-emptying position to mold-filling position.

27. A press having a sliding head, a camshaft, a cam on said camshaft for moving said sliding head in one direction, cooperating means for moving said sliding head in the opposite direction, and actuating mechanism including a power driven crank operatively connected in d 'iving relation to said camshaft, the angular relation between said crank and cam being such that said crank is in position to exert its most favorable leverage on said shaft when said cam is moving said head.

28. A press having a mold, a mold plunger reciprocable therein, said mold plunger having a varying drop pursuant to releasing the pressure thereon after compression of the mold contents, and an ejecting cam for moving said plunger to eject the compressed con tents of said mold, said ejecting cam presenting a favorable velocity piclcup at the portion of probable pick-up and adjacent por-- tions in which the velocity of pick-up increases as the probable frequency of pick-up decreases.

29. A press of the character described having, in combination, a plurality of coordinated mechanical movements actuation of which is opposed by varying resistances, and low inertia power means for driving said press, said power means exerting upon said press variable actuating forces coordinated with and proportioned to said resistances.

30. A press having, in combination, mechanism presenting on one hand a relatively movable mold and mold cover and on the other hand a relatively movable mold and article ejecting head, and a low inertia prime mover capable of exerting upon the movable parts of said mechanism variable actuating forces coordinated with and proportioned to the resistances of said mechanism to movement.

31. A press of the character described having, in combination, instrumentalities actuation of which is opposed by variable resistances, driving means for the press including power and transmission means constructed and organized to impress upon said press limited variable forces synchronized with and proportioned to said variable resistances whereby said instrumentalitics may be actuated at high speeds without occurrence of destructive inertia effects, said power and transmission means being of relatively low inertia whereby they are incapable of accumulating suflicient kinetic energy to be released in the form of destructive forces impressed upon said press.

32. A press of the character described having an intermittently movable, relatively heavy instrumentality; a low inertia fluid pressure actuated prime mover for ctuating said instrumentality; said prime mover alternately delivering relatively high and low effort synchronized with the load imposed thereon by said press; means comprising an actuating shaft for moving said instrumentality'; and a low inertia connection between said prime mover and shaft providing for exertion on said shaft of the high effort of said prime mover when it is moving said instrumentality and the low effort when it is stationary.

33. A pressof the character described having a mold and mold cover, one of which constitutes a relatively heavy, movable part; separate low inertia fluid pressure actuated prime movers respectively for moving said part in opposite directions; actuating and motion controlling means for said part; a mechanically reversible operating connection between said means and one of said prime movers; connections between said part and. the other of said prime movers and said means; said connection and means causing the first-mentioned prime mover tomove said part in one direction, the other prime mover to move said part in the opposite direction, and the last-mentioned prime mover when it moves said part to impart an accelerating force to the first-mentioned prime mover.

34. A machine of the character described having, in combination, mechanism of relatively high inertia to be moved through a cycle at variable speeds, low inertia power means for moving said mechanism constructed to deliver to said mechanism an actuating force which is decreased during the portions of the cycle when said mechanism has high kinetic energy and is to be decelerated.

35. A machine of the character described having, in combination, mechanism of relatively high inertia to be moved with periods of rest, low inertia power means for actuating said mechanism constructed to deliver to said mechanism an actuating force which increases as said mechanism is moved from at rest and decreased when said mechanism is moving and is to be brought to rest, said force being a maximum during movement of said mechanism and a minimum when said mechanism is at rest.

36. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a relatively heavy instrumentality tov be moved through a cycle of operations with periods of rest, low inertia powermeans operative to deliver relatively high and low forces, transmission means connecting said power means to said instrumentality for causing motion of the latter, said power means impressing rela tively low forces upon said transmission means when said instrumentality is at rest and relatively high forces when said instrumentality is moving.

37. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a relatively heavy in strumentality to be moved through a cycle of operations with periods of rest, low inertia power means operative to deliver relatively high and low forces, transmission means including a cam with concentric operating 38. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a relatively heavy instrumentality to be moved through a cycle of operations with periods of rest, low inertia power means operative to deliver rela-. tively high and low forces, transmission means connecting said power means to said instrumentality for causing motion of the latter, said power means impressing relatively low forces upon said transmission means when said instrumentality is at rest and relatively high forces when said instrumentality is moving, and power means independent of the first mentioned power means.- but coordinated therewith for at times augmenting the forces applied to said transmission means by said first mentioned power means.

39. A press having, in combination, a mold and mold cover, one of which constitutes a relatively heavy, movable part having a pre-. determined cycle of variable movement; av shaft presenting cam means for actuating said part during part of its cycle of movement and controlling the actuation thereof during the remainder of such cycle, actuation of said part by said cam means exerting re tarding force on said shaft, and the controlling action of said cam means exerting accelerating force 011 said shaft; relatively timed but otherwise independent prime movers respectively for causing the cam actuated movement of said part and the cam controlled movement of said. part, the prime,

mover for causing the cam actuated movement presenting a low inertial condition and variable torque drive in its cycle of move ment.

40. A press having, in combination, a rotary shaft, a low inertia pressure fluid operated actuator having a mechanically-revere sible, low-inertia, variable force transmitting connection to said shaft; a relatively heavy,

movable part; means driven by said shaft for moving said part during a portion of the rotation of said shaft and permitting said part to remain stationary during another portion of said rotation; a second actuator for moving said part under the control of mechanism actuated by said shaft; the connection between said first-mentioned actuator and shaft providing a favorable leverage for the action of said primary fluid pressure actuator during movement of said part by said shaft, and an unfavorable leverage when said part is stationary.

41. A press of the character described having a relatively heavy part to be moved alternately in opposite directions with periods of rest; a relatively low inertia fluid pressure actuated prime mover capable of alternately delivering relatively high and low effort at substantially constant frequency synchronized with the variable load imposed thereon by said press; cam mechanism actuated by said prime mover for moving said part in one direction; a second relatively low inertia prime mover for moving said part in the opposite direction; and said first mentioned prime mover being connected to said cam means to exert thereon its high effort during movement of said part.

42. A press having a mold and mold cover, one of which constitutes a relatively heavy, reciprocatory part, a low inertia prime over delivering predeterminately variable but limited forces to a rotary shaft driven thereby, cam means on said shaft for moving said part from one end of its stroke to the other during a maj or fraction of one revolution of said shaft, and a second low inertia prime mover exerting forces under control of cam means on said shaft for moving said part through its stroke in the opposite direction during the remaining minor fraction of said revolution and acting to augment the forces applied to said shaft by said first mentioned prime mover.

A3. A press having, in combination, means presenting on one hand a relatively movable mold and mold cover and on the other hand a relatively movable mold and ejecting head, a rotary shaft arranged to actuate said parts through a cycle of operations during one revolution ofsaid shaft, and a steam engine having two dead centre positions in one revolution provided with a crank substantially directly connected to said shaft.

A l. A machine having, in combination, a movable part, means including a rotary shaft for actuating said part through a cycle of operations during which said part opposes rotation of said shaft with variable forces, a low inertia fluid pressure actuated prime mover, and a driving connection between the latter and said shaft presenting a crank substantially carried by said shaft.

45. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a plurality of coordinated mechanical movements actuation of which is opposed by varying resistances, and a prime mover for driving said machine, said prime mover exerting upon said machine limited variable actuating forces coordinated with and proportioned to said resistances.

a6. A machine of the character described having, in combination, a relatively heavy part to be moved through a cycle atva-riable speeds, primary low inertia power means for actuating said mechanism constructed to deliver to said part an actuating force which is decreasedduring the portions of the cycle ROBERT F. MORRISON. 

